WWDC 2013: Apple Announces iTunes Radio – Radio Stations Based on the Music You Listen to on iTunes

Apple today announced iTunes Radio during its WWDC 2013 keynote. The free Internet radio service will feature over 200 stations and will draw from the iTunes catalog of music. The service will be available this fall.

“iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations which have been created just for you,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “It’s the music you love most and the music you’re going to love, and you can easily buy it from the iTunes Store with just one click.”

Stations will include those curated by Apple, and there will also be stations personalized for you, based on the music you listen to in iTunes. Pick any artist, song, or genre, and iTunes Radio instantly builds a station around it.

When you’re listening to a song you like from iTunes Radio or your music library, you can have a station built around it. While listening, you can make adjustments by tapping “Play More Like This” or “Never Play This Song”. The more you use iTunes Music, the better it knows you and your musical tastes. The service will also give access to premier tracks from best-selling artists.

Siri integration will work to make your listening experience more enjoyable. Ask Siri “Who plays that song?” or “Play more like this” and Siri will make it happen. Stations can be shaped by telling Siri what you like and don’t like, or telling Siri to pause, stop or skip. You can also instruct Siri add songs to your Wish List to download later.

iTunes Radio will be ad-supported, and will be free for users. If you are an iTunes Match user, you will get iTunes Radio ad-free. iTunes Match costs $24.99 for a year.

iTunes Radio will be available in the fall of 2013 on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC and Apple TV.

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Glenn is Managing Editor at MacTrast, and has been using a Mac since he bought his first MacBook Pro in 2006. He lives in a small town in Utah, enjoys bacon more than you can possibly imagine, and is severely addicted to pie.